Knee-Highs
by drizzt1031
Summary: Reese and Harry grew up next door to each other, until the day she'd run away from home. A decade later, they run into each other again at the strip club she works at. Jumpstarting their friendship, they help each other deal with the terrible events that drove her from home, and the overbearing mother keeping him at home. Rated M for smutt, rape, and other fairly disturbing events.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **This is based on the movie "Six Ways to Sunday." It is a strange, but fascinating movie. This kind of continues my current trend of Norman Reedus movies. He plays the main character in this: Harry Oldum. Harry is very introverted, and has a very overly attentive mother. Disturbing? Yes, a bit. Still, it is very interesting. I'm taking a few liberties with the stories such as omitting Iris. Hope y'all like it. **AN**

"He's out there again?"

"Yep," Mellie laughed, as she touched up her eyeliner in the intense light just above the vanity mirror. Reese hated that light. Its bright light shone starkly against any face unlucky enough to need it's illumination. Any hint of a blemish or the slightest disfigurement was magnified a hundred fold, forcing her to coat her face in layers and layers of makeup until it took on the characteristics of a porcelain doll. It hardly even mattered given the dim "mood" lighting on stage. The only time any bright light hit any of the girls was in the milliseconds of each flash of the strobe light.

Shimmying into her neon red shorts, Reese glanced down at her phone to check her time. The screen blinked to life showing a tentative 5:45 pm. She still had a good 40 minutes before she had to make her way to the stage.

"Do you think he'll come in this time?" Mellie asked. Reese looked back at the woman, sitting before the mirror, and neck-deep in the primping process. Her bleach blonde hair was piled high on her head, held up by sparkling rainbow butterfly clips. Her petit body sported odd proportions with skinny limbs and an awkwardly large bust and posterior.

"Dunno," she answered, pulling up a pair of red and white striped knee-high socks. "It's kinda cute."

Mellie paused to raise an eyebrow at her in the mirror. "Once is cute. Twice is funny. This is what the fifth or sixth time? That's a little creepy."

"Meh," Reese squinted at her. ""He's so adorable, being too nervous to come in. It's really sweet. You almost want to hold his hand and bring him in."

"Coax him to sin?" Mellie winked at her. "That's too high maintenance for me. I don't want to take care of a guy. He needs to take care of me." She twisted open her lip-gloss, giving it a few pumps to evenly coat the applicator. Reese cringed at the wet squishing sound, her insides twisting violently at the noise. Her gag reflex quivered, threatening to allow a reappearance of her lunch. Snatching her long winter coat from the back of her chair and swinging it on, she snuck out of the back door, leaving Mellie to her preparation.

Stepping out into the alley behind the club, she sucked down the brisk winter air in slow deep breaths. Her mind flew backwards into terribly unfortunate experiences in her past, pulling her kicking and screaming by the ankles into a life she had run from as fast as she could. She watched as long streams of steam pooled from her mouth, taking comfort in the swirling white clouds just before they disappear in front of her face. Given a random pattern to follow, the memories slipped back into their dark corners. After a few smokey moments, her gag reflex released its death grip on her lunch.

Reese leaned back against the building's wall, shivering as a hint of the icy air seeped through the layers of her coat to lick up her spine. A soft shuffling slipped around the corner. She cocked her head to the side at the sound. Wrapping the coat more snuggly around her body, she trotted toward the end of the alley. As she got closer to the end of the alley, a soft muttering joined the shuffling. She paused at the end of the wall, and leaned forward to peek around the corner at the source of the sounds.

The young man that she and Mellie had been talking about was pacing back and forth in front of the club, talking to himself.

"Come on," he muttered softly. "Just go inside."

Reese smiled at the man, enjoying the uniquely timid response to the club. Buried under a thick winter jacket she could make out the form of a reasonably fit young man. His sandy blonde hair poked out from under a dark green beanie. She craned her neck to see his face, but as he paced, he kept his head tucked down. A peculiar feeling of familiarity scratched at the back of her mind, while she watched the poor kid try to give himself a pep talk. Squinting at him, she managed to make out a somewhat thin face, the sweetness of youth lingering on his cute features.

As though he sensed her staring, he looked up, the nail of his thumb clamped between his teeth. A soft squeak slipped past her lips, and she yanked her head back around the corner. Her cheeks flushing slightly at her new-found voyeuristic hobby, Reese walked as quickly as she could towards the door. She coughed softly at the warm thick air, reeking of cigars and stale body odor that swept out through the doorway. She leaned back against the heavy door, and took in several deep breaths. It was always better to take in all the rank odors and get used to them faster than to fight it and be disgusted all night.

Reese nearly jumped out of her skin, when a pulsing vibration buzzed her side. Silently scolding herself, she pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket to turn off her alarm. Slipping off her jacket, she plopped down in front of her little section of the mirror. She pulled off her baggy over-shirt and sports bra, and tossed them into her duffel bag under the counter. Frilly girly music blasted through the burgundy curtain behind her. The perky music suited Mellie. Not her attitude, but her appearance. Over the years Mellie had decide that it was far easier to go with the stereotype of blonde bimbo/material girl, than to prove otherwise. It seemed to work for her now, but Reese often wondered how tiresome it must be, being a closet romantic.

Suppressing the onset of philosophical inquiries and subsequent depression, Reese focused on moving as quickly as possible. Her slot was up after Mellie, and the song was halfway through. Make-up already plastered on her face, Reese pulled on her sparkling green front clasp bra. Throwing a hand into her bag, she fished out her tight white shirt. She carefully pulled it over her head, making sure she didn't smear her makeup, and snapped her black suspenders in place. She tucked her shoulder length auburn hair into two soft hanging pigtails near the base of her hair-line, and stood to take in her entire reflection.

Shifting about in her shiny black pumps, she smoothed out a few stray wrinkles in her shorts. Reese turned sideways, passing her hands over her flat abdomen to her hips, giving her butt a slight wiggle. She laughed at the slight jiggle of her butt.

"Yes you have a fat ass." Reese rolled her eyes at the insult. The mirror filled with the reflection of the wicked witch of the west herself. Dani stood, hands on her hips, watching Reese with her trademark sneer.

"At least I have an ass," she retorted "And tits."

"At least I don't have to worry about breaking the stage. Or the pole."

A loud droning sound cut their bickering short. She pushed past the mouthy woman to loiter by the curtain. Mellie bounded out, an armful of bills held tightly against her chest.

"My regular's out there," she said cheerfully. "He's always so sweet." Reese smiled at the bright enthusiastic flush that had spread across her cheeks. The petit woman disappeared through the door that led out to the floor. She grabbed the curtain, taking a breath to ready herself to go on stage.

"Oh, Reese," Mellie hissed, her head peaking back through the doorway. "He's out there." She disappeared in a blonde blur, before Reese could question her further. The loud droning of her announcement drew her attention back to the curtain. As the first beat of her song echoed from the speakers, She pushed through the curtains and stepped out into the sparkling pink and green spotlight. Her eyes adjusting to the darker lighting, she quickly surveyed the people sitting near the stage.

A few regulars she saw every day scooted closer to the stage, folded bills fully prepared. Only a handful more were scattered near the main stage. It was still early in the evening. The larger crowds wouldn't be expected until around sundown. She would definitely have to push for a better time slot. Swaying to her music she made her way towards the pole, smiling brightly at the men lingering close to the pole. Hooking her thumbs into her suspenders she shimmied them off her shoulders, letting them hang from her hips. Sinking to her knees in front of those nearest her, she pulled the white shirt over her head letting it fall to her side.

Sliding back until the top of her head tapped the pole, she reached over her head and pulled herself to her feet. Hooking a leg around the cold metal, she swung her weight around the pole. As she spun she caught sight of a huddled mass sitting awkwardly near the stage.

_Oh crap, it's that shy kid._

She smiled, happy that the guy had managed to work up the nerve to come in. Reese slid down the pole as she swung, letting her hair slide across the stage floor. Getting up on all fours, she crawled towards mass of winter coat. She wasn't sure if he actually was watching, but it didn't really matter. He was too adorable, and she figured she'd break him in easily.

"Hey there," she cooed at the mass, trying to coax him out of his hiding place. "How are you?"

The hood of the coat shifted slightly.

"Reese?" An incredibly soft male voice drifted out from inside the coat. Reese paused at the sound of her name. Forgetting her routine, she reached out a hand and pushed back the hood to see who this kid was.

"Harry?"


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:**Thank you for reading, reviewing, and having good expectations toward this one. Please, keep it up. Thank y'all! **AN**

"So, um," Harry stuttered, stuffing another fork full of pie in his mouth. "How, uh, how did you get into… your line of work?"

Reese laughed softly looking down into her mostly full cup of coffee. She watched Harry shovel in more and more pie. A small fleck of whipped cream took refuge at the corner of his mouth, just below a very becoming mole. She smiled at the mole, remembering how as children she had tried to rub off the mark, thinking it was a dirt smudge. Moving of its own accord, her hand reached out to wipe the cream from his face. The instant he noticed her hand, he recoiled, ducking her fingers. Pulling her hand away in disappointment, she made a quick pointing motion to the corner of her mouth. Harry tugged a paper napkin from the dispenser between them. Pulling a large swig of coffee from her mug, Reese quietly lamented the wall that had apparently grown between them.

"I… got into the business," she said softly. "Pretty much right after I left." Harry stared blankly at her as he started his consumption warfare on his glass of milk. Her brow crinkled at the emptiness in his expression. It wasn't that long ago. Besides, he of all people should remember. Harry was the only one she had said goodbye to.

"Do you remember when I left?" He looked down at his hands, folding his used napkin and putting it on his plate.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I remember. My mother said you ran away."

_Ah._

"I did," she agreed. "I had to." Harry nodded quickly; clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. A deeply scouring sadness bit into her chest. They had grown up together, almost inseparable. Inseparable that is, unless his mother was involved. His mother, of course, was always there. Mrs. Odum, though polite was as receptive to her presence as any starving dog might welcome a foreign presence near its food. Needless to say, hands were always expected to be kept to themselves. This became a bigger problem as they tended not to. Curiosity and children was an interesting combination. Curiosity, children, and hormones proved infinitely more problematic.

"So how are your parents?" His question stunned her. He knew she hated her parents. Even if he didn't, common sense dictated that if she ran away from home, then her relationship with her parents must be strained. Harry's eyes flicked back and forth from her face to the cup.

"Fine," she answered blankly. "How's your mom?"

"Oh," he perked up at the chance to mention his mom again. "She's good. She's doing well. I actually shouldn't stay too long. She's probably waiting for me."

"You live together?"

"Yeah." Reese sighed loudly at the admission. It appeared that Mother Odum took advantage of her leaving.

"You know, Harry," she muttered. "The last time we talked, you seemed pretty interested in moving away."

His head snapped up sharply, fixing upon her a sharp accusing glare. He set his cup down with a loud thump. A strange shadow passed over his face, adding a hardened edge to his sweet boyish face. Leaning back in his booth seat, he cocked his head at her.

"Maybe," he snapped. "Pretty easy to drop everything and run, right? Leave everyone behind?"

Her mouth opened, preparing to explain her actions.

"No thanks," Harry cut her off, as he rose to his feet. "It was nice to see ya, Reese." He tossed a few bills on the counter and made his way to the front door. Reese slumped in her chair. It wasn't fair. To either of them really.

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_"Hey Harry!"_

_"Shhh." Harry waved his hand in warning. Reese clamped her mouth shut with all the dramatics of an 11-year-old; her teeth cracking together. Leaning against the railing, she quickly glanced over his shoulder at the somewhat deteriorating house behind him. In the window overlooking the front yard, she caught sight of a looming shadow behind the curtain. One guess who it was. She quickly put a very obvious foot of distance between herself and the fence. The shadow stayed in the window, shifting only slightly._

"_Sorry," she murmured. _

"_It's ok," he answered, looking down at his feet. "She's working today, so she's not too happy." Reese nodded. Harry never said what his mom did, but they all knew. Ever since his dad left, Mrs. Odum was the sole bread-winner. According to her own mother and step-father, she was only good at one thing. Whether Harry knew what everyone said about his mother, or noticed the open door with a cover fee policy for her bedroom door, he never said. He only ever called it work._

"_Wanna hang out later?" Reese was always quick to offer her company, whenever he seemed to need it. She adored him. He was such a sweet boy, that she couldn't help but want to be friends with him. She could reach out to him, and empathize without running the risk of being judged in return. She'd known too many people who just used her poor situation to make themselves feel better. Harry kept her on equal footing with him. _

_Harry stole a quick glance behind him at his mother's silhouette._

"_I dunno." His disappointment at the admittance was evident in every syllable. "Mother will probably want me in bed early tonight."_

_A loud crash erupted from her house. Cringing at the sound of something else meeting its demise against a wall (or a skull), her shoulders sank slightly at having to figure out a way to side step the current warpath._

_Reese sighted inwardly, not wanting to prod the issue further. Her heart a little heavier, she waved, and trudged up the steps to her front door._

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Uninterested in finishing her now cold cup of coffee, Reese dug through her pocket and dropped some money on the table to join Harry's contribution. Wrapping her coat tighter around her torso, she stepped out into the freezing air. A chilly breeze stung her nose, freezing the wet trails on her face.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **Okie Dokie. I think I have my schedule organized now. *knocking on wood* Thank ya for reading, and following, and reviewing. It has been a few weeks, but I miss Harry. Honestly, it's hard not to. Ugh it's gonna be a slow start but, meh it's better that way. I hope. ^_^ **AN**

"I farted and my house blew up!"

Reese blinked rapidly at the bothersome punch-line, fighting the urge to check her phone for the time. Or to dial 911 to save her from this obnoxious guffawing across the table. Her plastic unbending smile remained suction cuffed to her face, as she stared into the disturbing collage of masticated food tumbling about in the apparent rinse cycle that was her date's mouth. His blond locks tumbled about his forehead as he rocked back and forth in laughter.

Damn Mellie for her unwanted and unnecessary interference in her social life. Maybe she liked being a recluse. Maybe she preferred being alone. She could buy a shaggy robe and a shotgun, with the money she'd save, not having to buy aspirin for romance fueled headaches. Reese looked down at the pile of hash browns on her plate, wishing a white rabbit might emerge through one of the criss-cross holes and reveal to her a tunnel for her to escape through. The mental image of her crawling through a pan-fried potato tunnel brought a small grin to her face.

"See," her date, Tom, Tim, whatever, pointed at her with his fork, letting a glob of white country gravy drip of the tip and land on the table between them. "It's funny, right?"

"Yea," she agreed, unable to stop her right eyebrow from shooting up. Glancing lightly around the diner, she sought out some way to politely excuse herself from the blind date her soon to be former friend had set her up on. His mindless chatter reached through into her mind, but fortunately for her IQ it was selectively muffled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a sandy blonde head hovering through the window looking into the kitchen.

"Um," she mumbled, not turning her head from the window. "Will you excuse me for a second?"

"Ok…"

Reese pulled herself up from her side of the booth and toddled over to the section of the counter that was closest to the window. Peering through the window, she saw Harry, standing in front of the flat top grill. A white apron wrapped around his waist, nibbling lightly on his thumb nail, he carefully flipped two burger patties and pressed down on them with the back of the spatula. Smiling at how gingerly he prepped the burgers, Reese propped her elbows up on the counter top and cradled her chin in her hands. She watched him make up two orders of the burger and fries combo with a side of their house sauce with short precise movements. He was just to adorable for his own good. It was almost as fascinating as watching a puppy chew on an enormously large bone.

Slowly, he placed the two plates on the window counter to be picked up. As he tapped the little bell to alert the server, his bright blue eyes locked on to her, watching him working.

"Hey there," she smiled brightly at him. Despite the unfortunate ending to their last encounter, something about Harry wouldn't let her stay upset at him. Perhaps it was his incredibly attractive and sweet face. Maybe it was the Peter Pan effect, making women melt at his milk teeth. Or there was always her history with him. In the slightly aged features and matured body, she saw the young kid who snuck into rated R movies with her. The boy who hugged her on the swing when she needed to sob her little heart out. The first and only boy she'd ever kissed.

"What," Harry began, ducking temporarily out of sight as the server came by to pick up the orders. "Are you doing here?" She shrugged good-naturedly. Shaking his head, he went back to work and began stocking the shelves around him. Leaning over the counter as far as she could, Reese stretched her arms out in front of her and clasped her hands together until her back popped.

"Can we talk?" she asked, still stretched awkwardly. Harry glanced back at her, his brows furrowed in frustration. Reese watched as his eyes flicked from her face to somewhere lower and back to her face, a red flush heading from his cheeks to his hair line. Cocking her head at him curiously, she looked down to see what was bothering him. The pale skin of her abnormally exposed cleavage stood out starkly against the dark blue blouse she was wearing. Her stretch had cradled her breasts between her arms, pushing them more into view.

"Oops," she laughed. Adjusting her shirt, she began to shoot Harry an apologetic smile. A dark hooded look had covered his face. It was the same sort of look he had given her when they last spoke. Her spirit sinking at the change in his expression, she began to turn back to her abandoned date.

"I'm taking out the trash in a few minutes," Harry's voice traveled over her shoulder, stopping her in place. "We can talk there really quick." Reese nodded, and quickly made her way to the booth to let off her date as easily as possible. She had a feeling that she wouldn't be too perky after their talk, particularly if his changing moods meant anything.

"Hey, um," she said quickly. "I am really, really sorry, but I have to go."

"But," he started, looking surprisingly down-trodden. Guilt kicked her lightly in the side, but it was quickly chased away by the prospects of talking with Harry.

"You are very attractive and seem like a nice guy, but I," she paused searching for an answer. "have issues. You deserve someone a lot nicer." Snagging her coat, she sped out through the door and headed around to the back of the diner.

A high pitched screeching sound broke through the air as she made her way to the dumpster. Turning to the source of the sound, Reese watched Harry walking through a door with two garbage bags in tow. He tossed the garbage bags into the dumpster and dusted off his hands before coming to stand next to her.

"Well?" he asked picking some invisible lint from his finger nails.

Holding her breath she blurted out, "Harry, I know we haven't spoken in a long time. Our last conversation wasn't exactly the best reunion, but I… I miss you."

He stared at her strangely.

"I don't have many friends, not real ones anyway," she admitted. "You were my best friend. I don't like that we live in the same state, almost the same city, but don't talk."

"I don't know," he muttered. "I have to work a lot. Then Mother needs me at home."

"She always did, Harry. We used to manage to find the time."

"Hey!"

They turned towards the new voice. Marching angrily towards them was her forgotten date, whatever his name was. He planted himself in between them, and glared at her.

"You can't just drop me like that," he spat at her. Trying to think of something nice to say to diffuse his obvious anger, she didn't realize he had reached for her until his big beefy hand had clamped down on her wrist and was squeezing painfully.

"It's fucking rude." Reese winced. She could practically feel her capillaries burst under his grip, knowing a stark bruise would be her parting gift. She was really going to kill Mellie.

"Stop it," she hissed at him, wrenching her hand back and forth. "You're hurting me." T- something or other leaned in, his big frame hovering over hers. His mouth opened, but before he could say anything, he suddenly disappeared from her view. It took her a minute to realize he hadn't pulled a Harry Houdini, but rather he'd been knocked to the floor. Rubbing her newly free hand, Reese watched in horror as Harry pinned her date to the ground and proceeded to pound him into a red stain on the cement. She had never seen Harry mad. It was terrifying. She held her breath hoping that with each time his fist came down it would be the last.

"Harry!" she screamed, when it was clear he wouldn't stop. Harry's fist paused in mid-air. He turned to her, his sweet face twisted with a horrific rage she never thought he could muster. She covered her mouth with her hand, unable to wrap her head around what just happened. Harry's eyes drifted to the fresh bruises making their appearance on her skin. Curling his lip in a silent snarl, Harry swung again at the unconscious mound under him. She jumped forward, grabbing his shoulder.

"Harry," she pleaded. "Please stop! You've done enough." Harry turned his face to her hand pressed flush against his shoulder. Pulling her hand away, she stepped back carefully as he got to his feet. The anger had bled from his face, revealing that strange expression again. It didn't fit him. A line of blood dripped from high on his cheek. Reese reached out her hand to wipe away the evidence of his attack. He blinked at her hand closing the distance to his face. She watched as recognition filled his eyes. Pulling away before she touched him again, Harry glanced down at the twitching pile near their feet.

"Do you think he's dead?" he asked, his breathing labored.

"I dunno," she answered.

"He should be."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Welcome to the next entry. Thank you to everyone for the reviews/follows/reading! Your collective compliments and insights are always well appreciated.

**Melissaax3: **I am glad you love Harry and Reese. That was definitely a fair assumption to make. I plan to delve in it further. So I will leave that with a River Song quote "Spoilers."

The cold water splashed over her hands and forearms as she furiously scrubbed her shirt in her bathroom sink. Droplets leapt from the stream to splash across her bare stomach. She still could not figure out what the hell had happened. Never had she seen Harry lash out at anyone. Reese snatched a bar of soap from the little tray connected to the wall. She rubbed the slippery bar over the stains, building the bubbles into a thick lather.

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"_Holy shit, Harry," Reese breathed, a growing panic settling heavy in her stomach, making it convulse. "What have you done?" She looked from the poor pathetic puddle at their feet to Harry, still breathing heavily at her side. _

"_I.. I didn't, " he panted. "He shouldn't… He shouldn't have touched you like that." A fluttering of affection tickled her heart at the sentiment, which she immediately swatted away to give priority to the admitablely drastic situation at hand. She dropped to her knees to what's-his-name swimming in his own blood. Gingerly she reached out to where his neck was, seeking out a pulse. Holding her breath, she waited until finally a faint beating brushed against her fingertips. Reese blew out her breath in a compound relief._

"_Harry," she said, turning with wide eyes to Harry. "You need to go." He hesitated, looking at her with a furrowed brow as he mulled things over in his head._

"_Please, Harry. I'll…" she paused gesturing nervously before her. "I'll take care of this." Harry backed slowly away, a guilty expression spreading across his face. Casually she wondered if the guilt was because of what he had done, or that she was going to cover for him._

_Reese pulled the bloody man over onto his side, keeping his face from being submerged in the growing puddle around his face. Blood smeared onto the palms of her hands. Grimacing she rubbed the palm of one of her hands onto her top so that she could fish out her phone and call 911._

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Deep pink water emerged from her formerly pretty top, sloshing back and forth in the sink. Brushing her hair out of her face with her arm, Reese squeezed as much of the water out of the drenched cloth. Reese shuddered slightly at the disturbing sight, quickening her motions so as not to force her to have to deal with anymore of the blood than she had to. Taking a moment to breathe, she looked into the mirror above her sink.

Hair mussed, she looked an absolute wreck. The police had questioned her until the bitter tangy smell of blood had been so strong that she started drying heaving into the dumpster. Either they took pity on her delicate stomach, or they'd become so disgusted with her that they didn't want her around anymore. Her red streaked eyes and puffy skin was pretty gross. She was fairly sure at the time of the questioning she had sported some pretty nasty snot and slobber mixture to top off the image.

She caught sight of patches of blood on her chin and right cheek. Frantically she snatched a tissue from the box sitting on the tank of the toilet, and wiped roughly at the offensive splotches. The little box slid from its perch and dropped with a splash into the toilet, making her jump in surprise.

"Fuck!" she snapped at the mess. Rather than tend tp the slowly soaking box, she returned her attention to the blood on her face. Reese had always been bothered by the sight of blood. Everyone encounters blood at least once in their life, but unlike a scraped knee or bloody nose, her memories of blood were far less reasonable.

"Dear, God, Harry," she murmured at her reflection. "What happened to you." Water dripped slowly off her nose and chin, tickling her reddened skin. Reese snatched a towel from the hanger on the wall and covered her face. Through the thick cloth she breathed slow deep breaths, trying to calm her fluttering heart. Her phone's ringer sounded from the living room, summoning her with its obnoxious tone. Blowing out a frustrated breath at the inconvenient timing of the call, she tossed the towel back onto the rack. Reese trotted out of her bathroom, bypassing her bed to run into the living room. Swiftly approaching its final chime, her phone blinked in warning on the small table that took refuge in the corner. She stuck out her hand and caught the little technological nightmare and answered it; not bothering to check the number for fear of missing the call.

"Hello?" she breathed, the phone just closing the distance to her ear.

"Hi." Reese nearly dropped the phone at the sound of Harry's timid voice. Her mouth opened, lips moving around words without sounds.

"D'ya think we could," he mumbled. "You know, meet up for a second?"

Amidst the tidal wave of thoughts plaguing her mind, her response suffocated before it could reach her tongue.

"That is if you want,"Harry said quickly. "I just want to say a few things that I can't over the phone." His voice lowered significantly near the end of the sentence.

"Harry?" A woman's voice called faintly. "Who are you talking to?"

"It's just work, Ma." he answered. "I think we're gonna have a meeting tonight." Reese shook her head at the pitiful lie. Still she had long since been familiar with the strange dynamic between those two, and if he was willing to lie to his mother about her...

"Ok," she said softly into the phone. "Where?"

"Uh," he sounded flustered. "Yea I can make it in time. I'll cut through the playground."

"Oh, Harry you know I don't..." Mrs. Oldum's voice was cut off, leaving her with only the loud thumping in her own chest. She walked to the window, clutching the phone lightly to her collar bone. Her fingers pulled back the thermal curtains blocking her window. Small white flakes drifted down from the sky, speckling an already white blanket below.

"Damn," she muttered before running to grab some warm clothes and a jacket.

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Her feet crunched the lightly packed snow littering the playground floor. The sun made its departure long ago, leaving everything at the mercy of a darkened night, illuminated only by a crescent moon and the pale ovals of nearby street lamps. Foamy white wisps blew out from her frozen lips, piercing through the static air before her. Sitting perched on the swing was Harry. She watched him sway slowly in the swing, disturbing the snow at his feet. His blonde hair stuck out in thick locks from under his hood. He was clad in the same jacket he had worn when he drew up the courage to come into the club.

"When did breakfast diners start to at 9 o'clock in a deserted playground?" she asked loudly as she approached the other swing.

"They don't," he admitted.

"So why would your mother believe that?" Reese asked as she brushed snow off of the rubber seat.

His eyes refused to meet hers as he mumbled the answer. "I have a second job."

"Oh?" she pried. "Doing what?" Reese sat down on the swing and tucked her hands into her pockets.

"Just taking care of a few things for a friend." Her brow furrowed at the blatant side step of her question. She brushed a small path into the snow at her feet, unsure of what else to say. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Harry shifting uncomfortably on the swing.

"I don't know what to say about earlier," he said softly. "I have a few versions, I keep going over in my head, but none of them quite describe how I feel." Reese kept quiet, letting him gather her thoughts. She glanced about at the dilapidated playground. It's once pleasant looking jungle gym had severely deteriorated over the years. The bright paint of the slide, once a rosy red like a fresh apple had rotted in a similar manner. Its former brilliant luster was now a stained reddish-brown with rust that peaked out between gaps in the snow. A ghost of a smile spirited over her lips as she spied the old monkey bars.

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_"I am the monkey bar queen!" Reese squeaked as she swung her little stubby legs in a big circle. She was so caught up in swinging around while maintaining her hold on the bars, that she did not notice the other body approaching her on the bars. The side of her calf smacked into a very warm barrier._

_"Ow!" a soft voice cried out. Coming down from her adolescent euphoria, she watched a little boy drop from the ground in front of her. Her hands released their grip on the bars, surrendering to the laws of gravity and dropping her to the ground._

_"Oh!" she shrieked. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I am so sorry." Her eyes widened in panic at the potential trouble in front of her. The sandy haired boy in front of her rubbed his thigh with a grimace._

_"I'm sorry!" she squeaked again. "I didn't mean it. Please don't tell my mom." Her little body shook as her mind stretched forward at the trouble she would catch later. Reese's tear filled eyes met the little boy's bright blue ones, locking onto a similar sadness in their azure pools._

_"Are you ok?" she asked. _

_He nodded his head, lightly patting his thigh, "I'm ok." They stood for a moment in an awkward silence, his head dropping to break their locked gaze._

_"I'm Reese," she said, wanting to break the unnerving quiet._

_"I know," his soft voice drifting from where his face was tucked into his chest. "You live next door." She cocked her head at the observation, never having seen him at all let alone him being her neighbor. _

_"Did you just move in?" she asked, still trying to figure out why she hadn't met him sooner._

_"No."_

_Reese's little brow crinkled in confusion. She had seen a blonde haired woman living next door. Her mother had made a passing snide comment about her being a prostitute. Still she had never seen any kids coming or going from the house. Not even in the windows. She watched the boy shift from side to side, noticing many of her own uneasiness in his motions. Strangely it comforted her to see those similarities._

_"What's your name?"_

_"Harry."_

_"Hi Harry," she smiled gently at him. "Do you want to be my friend?"_

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"I don't really have an excuse for what happened," Harry muttered, drawing her attention away from the monkey bars. "I just got so mad. I've had these problems lately." He paused to take a breath, his thumb traveling to his mouth to let him nibble on his nail.

"Sometimes I do these things," he said around his thumb nail. "But it's like its not me. I mean I'm there, but I'm not. I dunno." His hand drifted from his mouth to join his other hand in his lap. Harry's head dropped in shame at her continued silence.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he whispered. Reese swallowed several times, trying to push her heart back down her throat and into her chest where it belonged. Reaching out, she slid her hand in between his and squeezed his cold fingers with her own.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Happy Late New Year. May your new year be filled with joy and pleasant surprises. Thank you for all who've read and followed my stories. Please, please, keep it up. Well that and review. I love hearing your opinions.

**gurl3677:** Isn't he just so adorable. And sweet… And endearing… charming…

Flickering lights flashed red and blue over Reese's pale torso, as her hips swayed back and forth. Her long arms stretched high over her head, hooking around the steel pole. Smiling down her undulating body at the crowd, she bit back a sigh. It had become a more difficult chore to smile on stage these days. Her cheeks were sore from the constant struggle of pushing against the tension in her face that demanded she expose the misery in her heart. Working there had never been easy to begin with, but it had taken more of her restraint to not panic on stage. Spending so much time with Harry had brought many of her memories bubbling to the surface. Unfortunately much of her life had been tragedy after tragedy, punctuated with small mercies. She couldn't be numb to some memories and not others. Reese's movements stopped abruptly as her music ended. As she scooped up the money scattered about the stage, she spied a familiar shape hovering in the window. The muscles in her face loosened, letting her smile come more gently.

Reese trotted through the curtains to where her stuff sat thrown about on her chair. She quickly tore off her clothes and stuffed them into her duffel bag.

"Lover boy hanging round outside?"

Reese ignored the snippy voice, and focused on making herself presentable. She wiped off the mask of make-up from her face, so that she could reapply it in a less overwhelming manner. In the corner of her bag was a sweet little cream colored dress with pale blue blossoms embroidered in a slanting trail from her bust to her hip. Reese had bought the dress on a whim, hoping a happier disposition might accompany it. Slipping it on, she stared at herself with a critical eye in the mirror. She didn't quite look like herself, which she supposed was the point.

"No matter what you try you can't wash 'whore' off," Dani snorted behind her. Reese stiffened at the remark. It was kind of hard to deny what she knew what to be true in her heart. A flicker of pain passed over her face, as she stared at the reflection of damaged goods looking back at her in false pride. She threw on her coat and zipped up her bag.

"Of course, a creep who hangs out around a strip joint would be happy to have trash like you," the she witch snickered at her as she made her way to the stage. Reese's pained expression burned away under the newly lit flame of her anger. She turned, fixing her death glare on Dani, whose lithe hand moved to part the curtain. Reese's own hand shot out to grasp the wretch's limb and dragged her down the short length of steps.

"I may be a whore by circumstance," she hissed. "But you are a cunt by nature." She twisted Dani's arm in an unconventional direction, until the girl squealed. Reese brought her face as close to her as possible, "If you speak of him in that way again, I'll break your arm off. Working gal like you doesn't need an arm to be on her knees."

Reese let go of her arm, pushing her back roughly as she did so. Still staring daggers at her, she grabbed her bag and made her way to the door. The door opened with a crash, letting in the cold air. It brushed her skin with a nursing caress. Breathing in the open air, she bathed in the brisk air, letting it wash away her anger. She sped down the alley, eager to leave as quickly as possible. Her coat billowed about her, leaving her exposed to the elements in her weather inappropriate dress with its superhero cape impersonation. Reese looked down and began buttoning up her coat as she walked. A loud crack sounded in her ears, and before she could determine the source of the noise, Reese found herself falling backwards with a sudden pain in her skull.

"Ow," a voice said, as arms wrapped around her middle to prevent her butt from making its acquaintance with the cement. Blinking Reese looked up to see Harry wincing.

"I guess I'm still a clutz," she laughed, wrapping her arms around him as well. She could feel his chuckle rumble through his chest as he held her awkwardly against him. Harry still wasn't entirely comfortable with her touch. He would often stiffen in her grasp, but at least he didn't pull away from her anymore.

"It's fine," he smiled lightly at her. His arms dropped rather abruptly from around her, and he moved aside to give her space to join him on the sidewalk. Slipping her hand into his, she tugged him along the sidewalk to go enjoy their evening together.

"What did you want to go do?" he asked softly, walking with her down the street.

They never really planned any event. It wasn't so much as they were spontaneous, but rather they were far too indecisive. Spending time together doing absolutely nothing was more than enough. Doing something different in a small place was hard enough as is. Instead, they took comfort in each other's company. Once they had taken their combined company to the library. Sitting in the library side by side on the same couch, enjoying a silence that did not threaten in its quiet depths, she found comfort in simply being able to be near him. In the past silence was not a sought out acquaintance for Reese. Quiet had always been the ominous opening act to a headliner she would be an unwilling party to. The retreating waters before the tidal wave that would consume her. However, she discovered that when the silence found her with Harry, it tossed off its gnarled shadows and embraced her with the unspoken understanding of a mother's love.

"Hmm," she paused. "Movies?" He nodded his head slowly, assessing the suggestion in his mind.

"Sure," Harry agreed, a smile winking at the corner of his mouth. "We'll go see what's playing."

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"_Rey, I don't have any money." Harry whispered, as she pulled him along down the sidewalk. Her long fingers, shed of their former youthful baby fat, entwined firmly about his. She turned back to smirk at him. His windblown hair had settled into shaggy locks about his ears. The wide eyed expression he wore exposed her to the full impact of his striking blue eyes._

"_Neither do I," she laughed, keeping him in tow while they made their way to the theater._

"_Then what are…"_

"_Don't worry about it," she shushed him. The movie theater in their neighborhood had only recently been renovated from a uniplex to multiplex. Though the building lost its antique feel, it allotted for a larger variety of movies to be shown at the same time, as well as appeal to a greater customer base. Incidentally, it also made it easier to sneak into, due to the larger and more diverse crowds. She had been to the movies only once since her dad had died, and when she found out that Harry had never been at all, naturally a field trip had been in order._

_Reese tugged him to the back of the building, revealing an employee access. A strip of tarnished gray duct tape lay firmly over the latch of a simple door knob with no deadbolt to accompany it. Sinking her teeth into her lower lip with gleeful mischief in her eyes, Reese wiggled her eyebrows at her somewhat reluctant partner in crime._

"_C'mon, Rey," Harry said, tugging his arm back. "Let's just go to the park."_

"_Harry," Reese countered firmly, pulling him close to the door. "I wanna see Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Are you gonna make me do this alone?" A twinge of guilt tweaked her insides at her obvious manipulation, but she squelched it with the insistence that he needed to get out and experience life off of the leash. And she had no problem being the tramp to his lady._

_The sigh that burst forth from his lips whistled his surrender between his teeth. Bearing a full scamp of a grin, she pulled open the door, and dragged him in behind her. Sneaking passed an usher, she made a quick dash through the hall to the doors to each of the screening rooms, Harry trotting unhappily in her wake. Signs hung above each of the three rooms, each with its own ticker tape labels spelling out in their red flickering lights the titles of the movies playing. _

_Peering down the line, she spied the door to her cartoon spliced glory. Smiling happily, Reese led Harry to the set of double doors behind them, plunging the pair into an inky darkness, offended only by the Technicolor cartoon characters on the screen. Throughout the rows were scattered numerous heads attached reasonably to the great array of local patrons, bent on getting a break from life's general sorrows. The random placement of each individual, couple, or group proved a problem for their desire to sit together in peace near the middle or even the front. Fortunately the back row carried only three other viewers with whom they would have to share the space._

_They tiptoed quietly down the row, finding a pair of seats within decent range of the middle. Reese sat down happily, her heart beating a little harder with the excitement of their less than honest escapade._

"_Is this a cartoon?" Harry asked, rather loudly, as he remained standing in the row._

"_Shh!" several disgruntled hisses followed the innocent query._

"_Sorry," she whispered, dragging him into the seat to her left. He landed with a less than graceful thump in the chair. Rolling her eyes at him, she tucked his arm around hers and leaned back to enjoy the movie. On the enormous screen a generously designed animated woman in a sparkling red dress had just, quite literally, kissed the pants of a man. Hardly a mood setter, but as she sat in the dimly lit room, Reese became increasingly aware of the very warm, very male presence at her side._

_They had been friends for several years, and in the time of constantly finding time to spend together (even going as far as creating a nickname that made it sound as though Harry spent said time with a guy friend than a girl) she hadn't fully realized how much he had grown. Suddenly, the little boy she had nailed on the hip with her leg wasn't so little anymore. An awkward feeling settled in the pit f her stomach_

_Shifting quietly in her seat, she felt her arm twitch. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Harry stare with a crinkled brow at the screen. He didn't seem to take notice of the rapid beat of the pulse in her wrist against his arm, or the thin layer of sweat that had mysteriously y appeared on her palm. Nibbling on her bottom lip, Reese turned her eyes back to the movie. She would pay attention to the film. She would not watch Harry like a peeping tom. She wouldn't see how his sandy hair stroked the nape of his neck. Or how the lean muscles of his neck tightened as he moved his broad shoulders. She certainly would not wonder if his lips were as soft as they looked._

_The nervous rhythm of her heart knocked away in her chest as though the pattern would call his to join it, inflicted a cruel influence on her breathing. A slow ripple of sensation crept along her skin prickling up a fresh pink flush. She continued to fidget in her seat._

"_You ok?" the whispered question sent soft puffs of warm air down the length of her neck. Turning her head to face the music, she lifted her eyes to meet Harry's. The second her gaze met his, she knew she was doomed. A tingle skipped down her spine as the tip of his nose brushed along the side of hers. Harry's eyes widened at the intimate contact. He began pulling back to break the spell that engulfed them both. Driven by the desperate cry in her heart, Reese quickly planted her lips fully against the tender assault, she felt his mouth soften in response._

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"So the boyfriend's mom was the killer?" Harry asked as they turned the corner onto her street.

"Ex-boyfriend's mom," Reese laughed. "But whatever." Harry shook his head at the correction, smiling his shy half smile. Crossing a small patch of dead grass, they walked from the sidewalk to the brick path that led to her apartment building. It wasn't an enclosed complex, but rather multiple buildings with 8 apartments to a building. Her apartment was on the second floor, which was only accessible by an ominous flight of steep rickety looking metal stairs. As they reached the end of her own little version of the mines of moria, she realized that Harry had stopped abruptly several paces away. One hand on the cold railing, she turned to face him, a question poised gingerly on her lips.

"You know, Harry," she mumbled, her nail picking at the flakes of white paint peeling from the steel bar. "It's still really early. Do you wanna come up?"

He blinked, his expression paying reverence to the deer-in-the-headlight impersonation.

"Just to hang out," she stuttered. "Well I mean you know, if you want to, but you don't have to. I wouldn't force you. I could make coffee or something. I'm rambling."

Her cheeks betrayed her less than subtle timidity, speckling her cheeks with a vibrant red.

"I'm just gonna go inside," she laughed miserably. "Before I make this anymore awkward than it already is." Waving a shaking hand at him, she scrambled up the stairs and quickly put the door between herself and the source of her humiliation.

"Coffee?" she snapped at herself, planting her face into the small hiding space her hands provided. A small knock shocked her from her self-formed sanctuary.

"Rey?" Harry called softly through the door. "I could hang out for a bit."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Sorry this took so long. Crisis… Crisises? Crises… Issues have been popping up like nobody's business. ^_^ But ok Big ole warning here: I earn my M rating. It's terribly sweet and then just awful. Thank you for the time you have taking in reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it. Please, please, please keep it up. Thank you!

Choking on her own surprise (which was infinitely more pleasant an experience than drowning in humiliation) Reese stumbled gracefully over her sudden shyness and fumbled with the locks. Framed in the doorway stood the source of her abnormally timid behavior. Chin tucked into his chest, Harry stared at the floor by her feet. She smiled at his introvert posture. His unease always seemed to encourage her to make bolder choices. Sensing her gaze on him, he turned his downcast eyes to peer up at her through half hooded eyes, as he rubbed the side of his thumb against his bottom lip. Taking a step to her left, she pressed her body firmly against the wall to give him the room to pass through.

"Come in."

He shuffled quietly through her doorway, passing by her to make his way into her apartment. She shut the door behind him, the locks sounding unusually loud as she secured the threshold.

"So," she said loudly, clearing her throat as she ventured into her small kitchen. "Coffee?" Her voice trailed off lamely at the pitiful invitation.

"Sure," he nodded, hovering nearby the old couch in her "living room."

"You can sit down," she smiled. Reese moved swiftly about her kitchen, the muscle memory for making coffee deeply engraved into every fiber of her being. Folgers could probably meet their quota off of her purchases. Through the open window over her kitchen counter, she watched Harry plant himself carefully in her couch. It's less than firm couches sunk precariously under his weight. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip to smother the wave of giggles creeping up her throat. "Sorry," she smiled apologetically at his awkward seating. "I had to save what money I could. I guess the quality of… everything else suffered for it."

"It's fine." He shifted in his seat, rubbing the palms of his hands over his knees. Pouring the steaming liquid into two mugs, she walked around the barrier into her living room area. Gingerly, she set the two trivial mugs on the little second hand coffee table sitting in front of the couch. Uncomfortable with the stagnant air of silent air, Reese's brain sparked with a parade of small talk necessities.

"So," she began while she took her seat, the ring master of the peculiar circus of nonsensical dribble dancing fanatically on her tongue. "I don't have any special coffee or anything, just whatever is cheapest, honestly. When you're…" her words were smothered inside her mouth by a pair of unbearably soft lips, pressed roughly against hers. Her eyes snapped open as far as they could go, she found herself staring up the length of Harry's nose. His own eyes were clamped shut under a deeply furrowed brow. His kiss bruised her mouth, forcing her lips uncomfortably against her teeth.

"Hmm." she squeaked against his mouth. Reese pulled away stifling an impertinent giggle that tickled the back of her tongue. "Woa, there." Pulling back, she touched two fingers to her tender lips. Harry frowned at the motion, a sheepish tint marring his boyish features.

"I did that wrong, didn't I," he mumbled quietly. A soft laugh escaped her tingling mouth. Rather than answer his question, she reached out and cupped his warm cheek in her hand. Her thumb stroked his skin, brushing the corner of his. Reese leaned in to go for a second try. Her tongue flicked lightly along his closed mouth, coaxing it open so that her tongue could play with his.

Though hesitant at first, he mimicked her tongue's motions and slid closer to her on the couch. Her head swam with the faint aroma of Irish Springs soap and that familiar male scent of Harry. Timid fingers crept up the outside of her thighs, coming to rest snuggly about her middle, just under her ribs. Despite the thrill at the unexpected affectionate action, Reese realized his embrace both increased the contact between them as well as kept her at a distance. She scooted her torso forward only to find herself blocked by the rigid limbs that held her.

Pulling from his kiss, Reese rested her forehead against his. Their combined breath stirred through the air in front of them. She felt his brow crinkle in a scowl.

"I can do this," he hissed under his breath. She blinked at the angry outburst. Her free hand joined her other one to cup his face.

"You don't have to do anything you aren't comfortable with," she said, starring squarely into his eyes.

"Not you," he sighed, tugging her hands from his face and holding them on his knee. "I'm just not sure how… I mean I kinda know how. I looked at a book."

"Honestly, I'm not that sure either," she admitted with a sad smile. Exhaling loudly, Reese stood from the couch, and reached out a hand to him. "We could figure it out together, or at least have a decent amount of fun trying." Looking up at her offered hand, Harry pushed off from his knees and caught her fingers in his own.

Reese led him around the couch to the door to her bedroom door, shutting and locking the door behind them. Turning around, she watched as Harry set himself on the edge of her bed. Streaks of moonlight streamed through the blinds, sliding along his face and body in an impertinent fashion. She reached out her hand and traced the path of the rays with her fingertips, lulling little shivers that rippled through his entire body. She tugged up the hem of her dress so that she could plant a stripped sock clad knee (she'd forgotten to remove them after work) on either side of his slender waist. The soft fabric of her dress pooled around her hips, half covering his thighs.

She kissed a slow loving trail down the side of his neck. Low groans rumbled up his throat, tickling her lips along the way. Thoroughly distracted by the taste of his skin, Reese didn't notice the pair of hands that had traveled up her back to catch hold of the zipper of her dress. Heat flooded her body through the burning fingertips that slid down her spine, splitting apart the dress in its teasing wake. A succession of shivers helped her inadvertently shimmy the straps off of their precarious perches. Harry brought his hands back up to her shoulders, pulling the straps down her arms.

Delighting in the bold decisions he had begun to make, she watched as he slid his palms over the cups of her bra, gently kneading the sensitive skin beneath. Nipples pebbling as the glorious torture continued, Reese reached behind her back to pop the clasp. Cold air wafted up under the slack cups, brushing the undersides of her breasts as she waited for Harry to remove the undergarment.

Harry stared at her blushing face with that intense blue stare of his, before tugging off her bra and letting it slide onto the bed next to them. His thumbs brushed over her hardened nipples sending a flood of moisture between her legs. Breathless, she could only sit passively in his lap as he explored her body. He tucked his head against her chest, rubbing his cheek against her breasts. Gingerly she ran her fingers through his hair, running the blonde locks between her fingers. Reese gasped as the soft nuzzling gave way to shy kisses circling each breast.

Her back arched instinctively into the contact, encouraging him to do more. From under hooded eyes she saw his mouth close over her left breast, sucking softly on the skin. Her hips forgot the word patience and started to rock against his. Through her damp panties she felt the teasing swelling of his erection rubbing against her.

"Oh God, Harry," she moaned, sinking her teeth into her lip.

"Are you ok?" Harry asked plucking his mouth from her flesh. Nodding Reese tugged his shirt up, lifting it over his shoulders before pulling him back to her other breast. Her hands pushed his down to cover her ass, letting them get a feel for the rocking motion. His suckling grew more fevered as he teased her with his teeth. Lying back, Harry pulled her down with him, planting her forearms on the bed on either side of his body. His hands slid up and down her spine, while she continued to grind her hips into him.

Suddenly Harry pulled her body off of his, laying her down next to him. His hands continued to roam over her body, over the r rolled up dress that had bunched up at her waist, and paused questioningly at the band of her panties. Not yet brave enough to vocalize her desires, Reese covered his hand with hers and slid them both under the elastic band to the part of her that burned hottest for him. His long

fingers slid against her folds, coating his skin in her moisture. Her hips bucked as his thumb bumped her clit. Noticing the dramatic reaction to his touch, he repeated the motion, sliding his thumb back and forth in a gentle teasing motion. Reese grabbed his forearm, her body writhing about nest to him. Her head turned to the side, her head burying into his neck. She smothered her cry against the crook of his neck as an orgasm shook her body, her legs quivering violently on the bed.

Desperate for his body to fill hers, Reese pulled at Harry's broad shoulder until he understood her need and settled himself between her damp thighs. Rearing up onto his knees, Harry fumbled at his pants, the buckle repeatedly slipping from his grasp. Just as she began to reach out to help him, he tugged the disobedient clothing down, the left leg flailing stubbornly as it remained hooked on his foot. Mercifully the underwear (an incredibly bright pair of white briefs) was far more cooperative. Stretching out over her again, he reached down to adjust himself. She felt the hardened tip of his erection against her folds. They gasped in unison as Harry pushed into her, sheathing himself completely in her warmth.

Panic filled her head at the invasion. Her muscles stiffened, locking her in her own private hell with no escape. Frantically she focused on Harry's face, reminding herself that this is what she wanted. She stared hard at his boyish features. This was what she wanted. His sandy blonde hair atop a slender faced.

This was who she wanted.

The cute little mole that sat at the corner of his mouth.

This was Harry.

Those familiar eyes that had taken on a midnight blue hue in shadows of her room. Harry kissed a little path from her mouth to her ear, resting his head against the pillow next to her head. His lips brushed against her ear lobe, "I love you, Rey." Tears threatened her dignity at the corner of her eyes. "Harry," she breathed against his shoulder. "I love you too." Wrapping her arms around her arms about his torso, she held tight to him as he began to thrust into her. He nuzzled her neck, stealing kisses from the increasingly damp flesh there. The bedroom echoed with the sound of their combined moans.

Panting heavily, Reese plucked one of her hands from his back and slipped it into the welcoming grasp of Harry's. Fingers interlocked, he kissed the inside of her wrist before turning his attention to her mouth. Her eyes rolled back into her head behind her closed eyelids. A thoroughly earned feminine scream broke through the humid air. Through the fog of her ecstasy she swallowed, her throat oddly sore. Above her she felt Harry convulse and a flooding warmth spilled into her body. They lay there unmoving, still trying to catch their breaths for a indeterminable amount of time. Slowly Harry pulled himself from her body and collapsed on the bed next to her. Smiling, Reese caught up the blanket with her toes and spread it over the both of them, before drifting off into a well satisfied sleep.

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_It had been unusually quiet that evening, which sent her on edge. She had come home from school to the ominous lack of yelling. In fact the only sounds echoing through the ill-kept house was the muffled sounds of the t.v. set in the living room. As she made her way to the stairs, she passed by the doorway that led into the living room, the obnoxious ring-side commentary of a boxing match barking through the opening. Her step father sat slouched in his stained cushioned throne, a half empty bottle of jack hanging casually in his grasp. Stepping as quietly as possible, she walked towards the first step of the stairs. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up as the eerie feeling of being watched oozed over her skin. Turning, she caught in her peripherals the sight of the useless drunkard's eyes fixed upon her. Gulping, she hurried up the stairs and shut the door. _

_She had been so frazzled by the experience that she stayed into her room for the rest of the night, opting out of dinner. She wouldn't have been able to eat anyway. Her stomach was in knots from the overwhelming instinct of danger in her near future. While the couple from hell dined on their plates below, (a sumptuous platter of mushy self-pity and obnoxious selfishness, garnished of course with shavings of child abuse) she snuck into the bathroom and quickly rushed through her bathroom ritual._

_Reese tucked into her little bed, the same bed that she'd had since she was a toddler. Her ankles hung over the edge of her bed. Skirting about the idea of closing her eyes and trying to sleep, she saw light stream through from under the door. She watched through wide eyes as two shadows appeared next to each other, blocking most of the light. Shaking under her sheets, she stared in terror as the door knob twisted with an alerting squeak. Tears pooled in her eyes as the door creaked open, spilling light into her room. Framed in her door frame stood an enormous dark shadow…_

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Reese snapped awake, tears streaming out of her eyes. Her body shaking, she realized in humiliation that the mattress beneath her butt was soaked through. Terrible memories fresh in her mind she ran to her bathroom and threw herself before her toilet. Digested food and bile fought their way up through her esophagus and sprayed into her toilet. Sweat beaded across her forehead as she became re-acquainted with her most recent dinner.

"Rey?" Harry asked. "Are you ok?" Turning her head to the side, she saw him squatting next to her on the bathroom floor. His hand reached out, heading towards her naked shoulder. She recoiled violently at the motion.

"Please," she gasped between heaves. "Don't touch me right now.'

Harry nodded, pulling his hand back. He unraveled her toilet paper and folded several little pads, placing it next to her on the floor. As she rested her hot forehead against the cold rim of the bowl, she caught a glimpse of that dark look flashing over Harry's face once again.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Ok I am dreadfully sorry these updates take forever, but hopefully I will be able to pop em out sooner. Thank you for everyone who has read and/or reviewed. Please Please Please continue to do so. This is a collage of Harry's POV.

**BurningDecks: **You know the funny thing about that? Every time I go and type it out the name, I always stop and say did I check that with the dvd? And every single time I assume I did. Lol

**Gurl3677: **I wrote these little bits up, with no idea how or where to put it up, but there was something (someone) I was missing. Not to mention I wasn't sure if any of it was even halfway decent. I figured maybe have a deleted scene bit. But if you are curious... ^_^

**NikixXx: **Thank you. I wanted it to be adorable with them stumbling about.

_Over the sizzle of the greasy patties leaking their moisture onto the hot flat top grill, Harry heard that awful obnoxious laughter. He passed a quick sideways glance over the counter at the bulky idiot doubled over in his seat. From her stiff posture, he could tell that Reese clearly did not share his amusement. Or perhaps any giggle she might have held was smothered by the unnecessarily loud and food spewing merriment of her companion._

_He'd watched the couple since they'd made their arrival to the little diner twenty minutes ago. Harry knew the exact length of time, seeing as since she'd walked in he'd managed to burn himself twice, dropped a pattie onto the floor, and had to fish out a ticket from the trash. Harry had tried to keep his head down and focus on the food he was cooking, but he couldn't stop himself from staring at her for the duration of her date. Which of course it had to be. What else could it have been? She was dressed far too nicely for it to be anything else. His Rey never dolled herself up for no reason. In fact she'd made it a point to dress down. Or at least one layer to cover 95% of her skin at the least._

_When they were kids Reese wore torn jeans and T-shirts like any other hyperactive kid. Then one day poof. She' d become the walking dead: stumbling about and silent as the grave. She started showing up at the park in long sleeved, high-colored shirts and long bulky pants. Even in the summer she wore leggings or high socks under her shorts. Reese had never told him why the change, and he'd never thought to ask._

_Lost in his thoughts he finished up the two patties that had survived the trip from the fridge to the grill. As gingerly as possible, Harry slid the two patties onto their respective buns, determined not to have to cook the order for a second time. He placed the two plates onto the counter and tapped the little bell to let the server know the orders were done. Relieved that he finally finished an order without messing it up, he looked up to see a pair of bright smiling hazel eyes, watching him slyly. _

"_Hey there." Her voice still had that perky youthful tone he remembered, in spite of the years that had passed since they played together. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw his supervisor heading his way to pick up the orders. Not wanting to get chewed out anymore, he ducked quickly out of sight until he left with the plates_

"_What are you doing here?" he murmured trying not to attract attention. He busied himself with restocking the shelves._

"_Can we talk?" Harry turned his head to her at the request, his breath catching in his throat. She was stretched over the counter her arms pushed out in front of her. The tight clasp of her hands, pressed her breasts close together. A large abundance of smooth white skin curved above the low cut blouse._

"_Oh we can do more than talk." The mocking voice chuckled loudly in his ear. A bright red blush swept over his face. Reese glanced down after realizing his distraction, and moved to cover herself._

"_I'm taking out the trash in a few minutes…"_

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"_You're hurting me." Pain laced her words as the forgotten date squeezed her slender arm tightly in his beefy grasp. Harry felt himself sink back, opening up the darker part of his mind. His vision tunneled, focusing only on the piece of shit that was hurting Rey. Harry found himself launched at the cretin, pummeling his fists into the fallen man's face. A faint wet crunching sound slithered into Harry's ears, driving him further to do more damage. It wasn't until red ran bright before his eye that he could make out the shrieks begging him to stop. A soft hand landed on his shoulder, pulling to stop his raised fist from coming down. He turned his head to look up at the owner of the hand._

"_Harry! Please stop! You've done enough." A look of pure horror was smeared over Reese's face. Deep in the glossy fear of her eyes, he saw himself, a blood-thirsty thing, reflected there. The anger that had ruled his actions only a short while ago drifted away, replaced instead by a very peculiar feeling, flooding his body. He watched her with a new predatory sense, focused fully on the curves of her body. _

_As she knelt by the unconscious body, Harry couldn't help but stare down the front of her shirt at her chest, rising and falling teasingly in his view from her panicked breathing. His mouth watered at the idea of tasting that flushed skin. He wanted more than books and pictures. Vaguely he realized she had been speaking to him for the past ten minutes, and that he had been answering._

"_You need to go," she said waving him away. "I'll take care of this." Harry walked back to the door, still watching her intently. Blood splotched on her face and hands, body shaking from the pure shock of what had just happened, and terror still fresh in her face, Reese presented a stunning picture before him. Guilt hit him in the stomach as he realized that while she was covering up his mistake, he was imagining what she looked like naked. _

_0000-0000-00000-00000_

"_I'm just gonna go inside, before I make this anymore awkward than it already is." Harry watched Reese scurry away through the door of her apartment. He stood unmoving from the spot at the base of the stairs._

_"Well," chuckled a distinctly sarcastic male voice to his left. "You gonna do something about that?" Harry turned his head and glared at the man in black leaning against the railing. The man peered up the stairs from under the wide brim of his black hat, a less than honest expression on his face. Harry shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. The thought made his stomach somersault into his throat. He wanted to go up, which was a frightening idea in itself. Rey had been the only female that roused any sexual reaction from him._

Not true.

_"Ok," smirked the man in black. "Can't let _that _go to waste." Adjusting the collar of his long black jacket, he pulled away from the railing and moved to stroll up the stairs. Harry's hand snaked out and grabbed the back of his jacket, yanking the man to the floor beneath him. His head bounced off the cement with a resounding crack._

_"Stay away from her, Madden," he warned the fallen man, hovering menacingly over him. Madden slid along the concrete to pull himself up into a seated position._

_"Why?" he laughed running his hand gingerly over the back of his head. "She practically begged you to fuck her, and you are gonna walk away."_

_Harry turned his eyes from Madden, slowly oozing blood from the back of his head, to the closed door in front of him._

_"Rey," he called up to the door. "I could hang out for a bit." _

_0000-000000-00000000_

_His palms were ridiculously sweaty as he sat down on the second hand couch. Not that the quality of the furniture mattered. His mother's furniture was just as old and broken down. The only difference being that Rey's furniture was not masked with throw pillows and other frivolous nonsense to make it seem homier. As he looked about the small apartment, he realized that nothing in the room said anything about its tenant. No wallpaper or pictures graced the walls. No decorations. The second hand couch he sat on, the worn coffee table before him, a rickety table with two chairs, and a tiny television set were the only additions to the traditional walls and a roof._

_The pleasant aroma of coffee wafted through the air. Harry glanced_

_At the fragrant scent, to see Reese emerge from the small kitchen with two mugs in her grasp. She set the two steaming mugs on the table, and took a seat next to him._

_"So, I don't have any special coffee or anything," Out of the corner of his eye he saw Madden kneeling by the table, prodding the coffee mug. The smug jerk was smiling knowingly at them on the couch._

_"just whatever is cheapest, honestly. When you're…" Determined to ignore Madden as he eyeballed Rey, Harry smashed his lips against hers. His teeth __pushed a bit painfully through his lips as he threw himself head first into the kiss. Or rather lips first .Smothered under the gung ho determination of his mouth, her surprised squeaking reached his ears just before she pulled away from him. He silently scolded himself for the abuse his mouth did to hers while he watched her prod her red and puffy lips._

_"I did that wrong didn't I?" Humiliated at his obvious lack of experience, or even basic comprehension, bloomed into a bright red blush over his face. Her quiet laughter only threw more fuel onto the fire that raged in his cheeks. Through downcast eyes he watched her hand come up into his view and slide along his face. Harry glanced up in time to see her lean in and lay a gentle kiss on his lips. Terrified of screwing up the moment, he held still. Maybe if he didn't move she wouldn't pull away again. _

_Her warm breath brushed his closed mouth as her lips parted, giving an opening for her warm tongue to slide against his skin. The warm wet tip of her tongue glided against the seam of his mouth. Instinctively his mouth opened letting her tongue in. It stroked his own timid tongue, swirling about it in an enticing manner._

_"You gonna let her do all the work?" _

_Ignoring the snide comment Harry let his tongue follow her lead. His hands slipped over her knees, traveling up the outside of her legs (not yet brave enough to move up the inside) and settling at her waist. He could feel his arms lock into place the moment his hands clamped down on her waist. Harry could feel Rey trying to inch closer to him, but his arms would not give. He wanted to pull her in, but nerves still kept him holding her at bay. Regretfully, she broke the kiss._

_"Want me to take care of this?" laughed Madden. "At least then she'll get something."_

_Harry frowned at Madden's continuous interference._

_"I can do this," he snapped at him. She was not for Madden. This was his best friend. His. Not Madden's. Not with what he'd do to her. Rey fit with him. She was broken like him... He'd make damn sure Madden was not involved._

_Two bright hazel eyes pierced his, "You don't have to do anything you aren't comfortable with."_

_He sighed realizing, she thought he was referring to her. It was the right time to try and explain who or what Madden was._

_"Not you, I'm just not sure how… I mean I kinda know how. I looked at a book." He stumbled gracefully over the lame excuse. A sad smile spread over her face._

_"Honestly, I'm not that sure either. We could figure it out together, or at least have a decent amount of fun trying"_

_0000-0000-0000_

_The air sucked out of his lungs as he pushed into her shaking body. Overwhelmed by the hot moisture that enclosed him. He froze above her, overwhelmed with sensation, and terrified of having it end to early. He felt her inner muscles clamp painfully down on him, keeping him from moving. Looking down at the woman beneath him, Harry frowned at the terrified expression Rey wore. A bright glossy coating slithered over her eyes. Wherever she was, it wasn't there with him. Her fearful panting rocked her body against his, sending chills down his spine. Fighting against the urge to thrust on, he stroked his knuckles against her cheek, twining a lock of her hair around his finger._

_Tears began to well at the corners of her eyes, swelling to the point that if she blinked a flood of tears would pour down her cheeks. Rey stared hard at him, a desperate silent plea in her face. Leaning down, he claimed her mouth, kissing a trail to her ear. His head pressed lightly into the pillow next to her ear, turning his face towards her. This night was for them, not anyone else. Not Madden. Not his mother. Not whatever threatened to keep her away. She'd left him behind before, but not this time._

_"I love you, Rey." _


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **So this is silly short, but time is an issue lately. Really sorry about that and the length of time it took is forever, but my schedule has been less than kind. More to come I promise.

**NikixXx:** Thanks! I love that you consistently review with really kind words.

**coconutcarter: **He really is just too sweet isn't he? I am very glad you find it to be so. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it right.

**screamingknight**: Thank ya. Iris was interesting, but (and it may be the envy talking) I wanted someone more colorful for Harry.

**ElectricYouth**: ^_^ Thank you! I blush.

Heart lodged thoroughly in her throat, Reese stared at the little book opened on her table. Littered across the small pages were tiny scribbled numbers organized in neat little lines. A small calculator was clutched painfully in her trembling hands.

_Was it right? Did she make a mistake?_

_Please._

Carefully, she placed the small calculator next to her book. She flipped through the pages back to the beginning of her little book. It was almost humorous to see the passage of time through her written records. Her confident handwriting with minimal mistakes deteriorated with every turned page to the almost illegible chicken scratch on the first page with many sections furiously scratched out. Squinting at the little numbers, she reviewed her prior calculations. It was the third time she had gone over her numbers, but she would check her math as many times as it would take for her to be confident in her answers. Her little apartment echoed with the sound of her fingers clicking the buttons of her little machine friend.

Reese had kept a list of her expenses ever since she escaped her miserable home. She was determined to make enough money to put enough states between her and her estranged family. Creating a generous estimate with plenty of wiggle room for her to move west, she began her journal with that estimate as her goal. Her budget had been terribly strict, but the ends would certainly justify the means. Whenever her perspective on life hit rock bottom with a bitter enthusiasm, she would turn to her little book to see how close she was to her goal and how far she'd come.

Over the years her goal had become less of a brighter future and more of an impossible dream. Reese had begun to fear that she would be forever stuck in a temporary residence just trying to run from a life that still held firm to the leash constricting her. Her dream had turned to a mere existence of rituals: earning her money, paying her bills, saving extra, and recording it all down at the end of the month. She hadn't even checked how close she was to her estimate in at least two years. Finding some extra time, she had decided to go over her notes.

_No. There were no mistakes._

She'd met her goal. Passed it in actuality by seventy dollars. Faced with the completion of the first phase of her plan, she sat in silence. Reese was happy of course. Terribly happy. It was the prospect of having everything change again. She could finally leave. Actually leave, not just hide nearby. She'd never been anywhere beyond the state's boundary. She could run away, permanently. Closing her book, she leaned back in her chair, and covered her face with her hands. There was no reason to be scared of the change. It wasn't as though she hadn't picked up and taken off before. It had worked out for the best, except for the loss of a dear friend.

_Harry._

Reese dragged her hands off of her face as the realization sunk in. She would lose him again. She slammed the book closed between the sweaty palms of her hands. It wasn't as though she had wanted to leave him last time. He stayed behind.

000-00000-0000-00

_"I'm running away."_

_"What?" Harry asked, plucking a few blades of grass next to his foot._

_"I can't," Reese whispered sharply. "I can NOT stay there anymore." She rubbed her arm forcefully as she spoke, rocking back and forth where she sat. _

_Harry frowned at the statement. A thoroughly unhappy expression smeared on his face, warping his boyish features. _

_"I don't want you to go," he murmured under his breath. __Reese took a deep breath in through her nose. She'd been waiting for an opening in which to ask._

_"Come with me," she asked. "Please." Harry stared at her, not moving._

_"I can't," he stuttered. "Why don't you just stay here?" She hung her head in frustration. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she wasn't in the right state of mind to logically pose an argument to convince him._

_"I have to leave, Harry," she sighed. "Nothing out there could possibly be worse than what's being done in here." Harry's frown deepened as he stared down at the grass he had pulled out of the ground. "To either of us." He glanced up sharply at the comment._

_"My mother loves me," he snapped. "She doesn't hurt me."_

_"Yet!" Reese almost shouted. "I see how she looks at you. I know how where that leads." She was losing him. He wasn't ready to handle the truth about his mother. At the very least he could handle honesty about her own feelings._

_"Please, Harry. I'm scared to go alone"_

_Moving as quietly as she could, Reese stuffed the duffel bag with as much of her belongings as she could fit. Not bothering to fold any of her clothes she shoved them into the corner The crumpled masses of cloth into whatever corner they could fit. Somewhere in the bowels of the house the muffled sounds of elevated voices, harkening a fast approaching argument. Rummaging through her drawers, she sought out anything of value, all the while her ears straining to listen to the progress of the fight downstairs. It seemed the standard fight. Someone starts mouthing off to the other. Pitch starts to rise. They'd progress to screaming and throwing things at each other. As long as no one threw a punch, the fight would end up with her step father storming out of the house and her mother locking herself in the bedroom. The time it took for her step father to stumble back from whatever slums he found would give her plenty of time to sneak out. Her mother wouldn't come out until he came back._

_After she emptied her drawers, Reese dropped lightly to the floor, pressing her body flat against the floor. Turning her head, she came face to face with a small gap between the bottom of her bed and the floor. Reese shimmied her torso, worming her way into that gap. In the far corner near the head of the bed was a small envelope taped to the underside of the frame of her bed. Plucking the envelope from its perch, she scooted out from under her bed. She peered into the gap of the tattered paper at the tightly packed green inside. Summer job was finally worth something other than petty cash._

_A loud bang vibrated throughout the house, heralding the exit of one of the bane's of her existence. She held her breath listening for the next door to slam. Despite the expectation, she still jumped when the second bang echoed in her room. It was her opening._

_With trembling fingers she hooked the straps of her duffel bag into the grasp of her right hand, and headed for her door. Slowly she twisted the door knob, terrified to make a sound in the unnerving silence after the storm. Pushing open her door open with a slight creak she took a peek at the hallway, making sure that no one would catch her during her escape. Her heart dared to steal a beat. Slowly she inched out of her room. Clanking bottles sounded from down the hall. Reese froze at the noise, staring at the closed door at the end of the hallway. She strained to make out what was happening inside the room. Sluggish sobs greeted her expectant ears. Remembering to breath, she stared sadly at the door, lamenting the time when her mother remembered to love her. Blowing out a regretful breath she tiptoed down the stairs and slipped out through the front door._

_The cool evening air stroked the sweat trickling down the back of her neck. Quietly she slipped out of her front lawn and crept onto the sidewalk. She stopped just in front of Harry's yard, waiting for him to join her. As the seconds ticked by, she shifted the bag uncomfortably from hand to hand. _

_Finally the door swung open. Harry stood framed in the doorway. Empty handed. Reese furrowed her brow in confusion. He was supposed to come with her. Light flooded the house,_

Oh no.

_Tears started to flood her eyes. Reese stayed frozen in place, trying to will him to come out. Her lower lip trembled as she mouthed the word please over and over again. A dark shadow swelled about his ankles, slowly growing until it hovered over Harry. Bright red fingernails slid over his shoulder. Reese sobbed loudly at the picture they presented. She'd lost him. Turning away, she swatted at the moisture and took off running down the street._

000-00000-0000-00

Sliding her sweater down over her chest, Reese quickly zipped up her duffel bag and headed out the door.

"Reese!"

She jumped at the sound of her name, slamming her back into the wall behind her. Calming the painful beat her heart played against her ribs, she looked up at the source of her close attempt at achieving a heart attack. Harry stood to the side of the door, lounging casually against the cold bricks. She glared at his relaxed demeanor, a black hat sitting lopsided on his head.

"You scared the crap out of me," she squeaked at him, frowning at her cracking voice. "What is it?"

"I have a surprise for you."


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **Ok! So I feel like several apologies are necessary. 1) I am sorry this is taking so dang long. School, internship, sick, heartbreak, etc. Basically life right? 2) It isn't nearly as long as it should have been, but... they should actually be coming along now. 3)This will not be pleasant. It is not a happy surprise. Sorry. As always to those following and reading; Thank you so much. I really appreciate any and all reviews. They do help. Please keep it up... and maybe more? Purty Please? **AN**

"Where are we going?" Reese asked as she trotted behind Harry. She struggled to maintain his pace with her wrist held snuggly in an oddly tight grasp.

"If I told you," he answered, turning his head to flash a toothy grin her way. "Then it would spoil the whole surprise." She frowned lightly at the peculiar behavior. Harry led her down the street, the hem of his coat billowing back to brush against her shins. Tripping on a rock, she stumbled and fell flush against Harry's back.

"Woa," he chuckled, pausing to help her back to her feet. "Flattered, but we need to get to that surprise first." Setting her upright, he leaned in until his lips lightly brushed her ear. "Later." His heated breath slid down her ear, lightly disturbing the locks of hair hanging from her ponytail. She shivered from the bold action. It wasn't like Harry to come on to her at all let alone in a very public place. Before she could question him about it, he turned around and continued dragging her down the sidewalk. Together they disappeared around a corner, heading towards a parked tan car. Seated in the driver's seat was a middle aged man in a dark grey checkered suit. The man turned slightly in his seat to watch their approach.

Harry tugged open the door to the backseat of the car and led her inside, his grip on her arm still firm. Reese slid along the seat until she sat directly behind the driver, and found herself staring into the thick mat of black hair, that despite the clearly thorough maintenance via combing and hair product still fluffed several inches above his head. She jumped slightly as the car door shut with a resounding thump. Turning, Reese saw Harry settle himself comfortably next to her, and toss an arm over her shoulders. The warm weight landed heavily against her tense muscles. She normally trusted Harry, more than anyone in the world, but when these odd moods overtook him, her faith in him wavered fairly noticeably.

An awkward squeak drew her fickle attention towards the front of the car. The driver twisted in his seat to face them, bulging creases forming in his thick neck. He nodded slightly at Harry in acknowledgement.

"Harry," he murmured, his lips pulled into a thin lipped smile.

"Hey Abie," Harry answered.

Abie turned his eyes to her, looking her over with a calculating stare. His stiff demeanor and the harsh corners to his expression only added to her concern. She inched instinctively further in to Harry. An amused smirk perked at the corner of his eye.

"I take it you are Reese?"

She nodded, uncomfortable at the idea of him knowing more about her than she knew about him. He reached over the back of his chair to offer a beefy hand. Rather than risk insulting the man, she slipped her hand into his grasp, marveling at the way her hand disappeared in his for a mere shake.

"I'm Abie," he said casually, as he released her hand.

"Nice to meet you," she murmured. He nodded at her before turning back to the front to start the car. Reese stared out through the window as they pulled out from their spot against the curb.

Harry caught her hand in his as he practically skipped out of the car. She peered at the warehouse in confusion.

As she gazed out of the window at the changing scenery, her thoughts ran ramped with the potential "surprises." She didn't really like surprises. They tended to be worse than she hoped.

"Harry?" she asked softly. "Please just tell me where we are going." He shushed her again, squeezing her shoulder slightly in some meager attempt to console her.

"You'll like this," he smiled at her. His eyebrows crinkled as a thought skipped across his face. "Well," he cocked his head at her, as he reconsidered the up sell. "Maybe not like, but you do need this."

His less than stellar pep talk succeeded in making her even more on edge, fidgeting in her seat. Through the window she could see the view turn from monstrous, tightly spaced commercial buildings to widely spaced yet no less monstrous factories. Her nose wrinkled as the smell of burning metal leaked through the vents of the car. Watching with a nervous curiosity, Reese stared at the fairly dilapidated cluster of warehouses they were pulling into. They drove passed the empty security guard booth, before coming to a stop in the empty parking lot before the maze of empty buildings.

"Which is it?" Harry asked peering up at their surroundings through the window.

"The one in the middle," Abie answered, adjusting his suit. "Green door."

"Thanks," Harry turned to Reese, holding out a hand. "Come on." He didn't bother to wait for her response, but instead tugged her from the car. She tossed a fleeting glance over her shoulder at the car that she hadn't wanted to get into to begin with, but now wanted back into. Abie looked back at her, a small smile quirking at the corner of his mouth, before Harry tugged her into the collection of buildings. He walked briskly, forcing her into another necessary trot to maintain his pace.

"Harry," she panted as he searched for the correct damn building.

"Found it!" Harry stopped abruptly in front of a large dark green door. Reese felt both grateful and concerned that he found the door. Grateful that he wouldn't be dragging her around al over the place in search of a stupid door, but concerned at what was waiting for them behind the door.

They wove through the maze of tall walls of stacked boxes and machinery. A faint light pierced through the murky atmosphere in the distance.

"Harry," Reese pleaded, trying to deter their endeavors. "Please, I don't want to go. Whatever it is…" A sound drifted from behind the boxes, trapping the rest of her sentence in her throat. Cold chills sparked down her spine, tracing the paths of her nerves with their freezing touch. The sound came again, louder than before. It was a muffled sound. A very human muffled sound. She found herself moving towards the sound, driven by some morbid sense of curiosity. She rounded a corner, where the light spilled out onto the floor, stained with irregular black splotches. Squinting as her eyes adjusted from the darkness surrounding them, she blinked as the shapeless forms took on color and detail. As she rubbed her eyes, the muffled sounds grew louder and more frantic. Her eyes finally focusing on the scene before her, she gasped in shock. Bound to a chair with a gag stuffed in his mouth was her stepfather.

Lead mysteriously filled her shoes, keeping her fixed in place. A tall black man stood hovering over the bound figure, a police badge pinned to the front of his suit. She watched in silence as recognition flickered behind the foggy panes that were his pitiful eyes. Through the dense fog of disbelief wafted the sound of Harry's voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Harry making his way to the man standing next to her stepfather. An automatic portion of her brain registered the civil greeting between Harry and the unknown man. She'd have to run the importance of that through her mind at a later date. Priorities at the moment determined the hogtied nightmare from her past was a bit more important, than who Harry chatted with.

As the blood drained from her extremities, Reese's eyes wandered over her stepfather, taking in the finer details her first terrifying glance had missed. A fresh gash across his brow oozed a mirky red trail down his cheek that dripped onto the dirty jacket. Purple shadows circled around his left eye just under the lower lid. Underneath the clear evidence of recent abuse, Reese marveled at the deeper set grooves of wear and tear. Time had not only been unkind to him, it had carved it's passing seconds into his skin. Her stepfather had never been what one might consider an attractive man, but he had never looked so dead. Pale skin hung over that sharp protruding bones in his face. In the artificial light, the sunken depths took on a waxy hue. Stringy clumps of hair, unaffected by his reciting hair line, hung shaggily down the back of his neck. His cold dark eyes were drained of the dreadful intensity that haunted her in the dead of night.

Despite their lack luster appearance and his overall decay, they still obtained the same result. She was a teenager again, crying in the dark. The flesh on her arms began to itch unbearably, the irritation creeping up to her shoulders. Unconsciously, Reese caught the back of her left arm with her right hand, scratching from her elbow to her wrist in long digging motions.

"Reese?" She turned her eyes from her stepfather to Harry.

"What?" The frail voice that answered hardly sounded like her own.

Harry walked carefully towards her, putting his hands on either side of her neck. His thumb passed languidly over the racing pulse at the base of her throat.

"You need this," He said softly. A single finger lifted to twirl through a lock of hair. "After all that he's done. All that he took away. All that he fucked up. We're gonna take it back."

"Harry," she choked out. "I can't…" Harry's hands slid from her neck over her shoulders. The touch, which normally sent delicate chills to her spine, burned with revulsion from the burbling memories that had burst upon her and flooded every sense. Hot tears began to spill down her cheeks. He took her trembling hands in his, slipping something cold and heavy into her palms. Looking down Reese gasped softly at the small handgun shaking in her grasp. One of his hands still clutching her own, Harry walked behind her, positioning himself against the curve of her back. She jerked involuntarily at the intimate contact. A sharp breath expelled from his nose and fluttered the hair behind her ear. He reached down with his free hand, and closed his hands over hers, pushing the gun more firmly into her sweating palms.

"Reese," He spoke harshly against her hair, lifting her hands to aim the gun at her stepfather. "He doesn't deserve to live anymore. Not after everything he did. I won't have it." The fine muscles in his hands tensed around hers, drawing her index finger over the trigger.

"We can punish him," Harry's voice softened, as he continued to coax her into agreement. "An eye for an eye." A rush of adrenaline soared through her body, lighting up every nerve in its path. She stared down at the pathetic excuse for a human being, a cold smile perking at the corner of her mouth. Boiling hatred bubbled from all the dark corners inside her soul pushing raw energy to her limbs. This time _he_ was helpless, and she the stronger of the two. A predator in the shadows.

_What would that accomplish?_

Reese stared wide eyed at the whimpering mess that had ruined her life. As much as her old wounds screamed for vengeance, it would never be an eye for an eye. Even if she killed him. Even if she tortured him. There was nothing, absolutely nothing that would change what had happened to her. Nothing could fix it or take it away. She would still be damaged goods. The only difference would be the new found title of murderer to tack on to her list of terrible qualities. Spilling her stepfather's blood did not equate the blood of her innocence.

"No," she whispered. The hands holding hers faltered a bit.

"Why not?"

"Killing him won't fix what happened," she answered, her quavering voice struggling as it began to find strength in its conviction. "It won't even the score. Nothing possibly could." She turned her head to look at Harry's hard set face, confusion furrowing his brow. Shaking her head, Reese squirmed out of his embrace.

Setting one foot determinedly in front of the other, she turned away from the disturbing scene. As the light faded behind her, she felt her strength disappear with it. Shaking, Reese leaned against a stack of crates. Her hand clamped down on her ribs, as she struggled to catch her breath. Blood pounding in her head, she listened to the sound of her own frantic breath. She rubbed a palm against her damp forehead. Two loud bangs exploded in the air. With the eruption of those sounds went the remaining strength left in her knees. Reese collapsed against the crates, hiding her face against her knees. She sobbed silently, her clothes soaking up the warm moisture.

"Rey?" Rubbing her eyes against her kneecaps, she looked up at the sound of her name. Harry was kneeling in front of her, small splatters of blood sprinkled on his cheek. The harsh edges gone from his eyes. His smile flickered unsurely on his face. He offered a hand. "I'll take you home."


End file.
